Silver Bells
by Pinoko K
Summary: This is a sequel to last year's "White Christmas". It contains a spoiler from the previous story. A year has gone by since Shepard and her friends had their very first annual Christmas gathering. This year, they have another party, and a new member has joined them.
1. Miss Lawson

Disclaimer: All characters and settings belong to Bioware.

A/N: This is a sequel to last year's "White Christmas". It contains a spoiler from the previous story. A year has gone by since their very first annual Christmas gathering. Last year, Shepard held the party at her home. This time, the gang gathered at Miranda's place (one of many) in the Citadel.

Silver Bells

Location: Citadel

December 24, 2188

Miranda looked at the infant that had been placed in her arms. For the first time in her life, she had no idea what to do.

"Now, be nice to Miss Lawson," said Kaidan to his son. "Daddy has cook."

"Maybe we should go out eat," Miranda suggested. "I know some new restaurants around."

The man gave her an amused look. "What? Afraid I'd burn down your kitchen? Relax, I know what I'm doing."

 _You know what you're doing, but I don't._

"Aerin will be back soon," said Kaidan, digging up a frying pan from the cabinet. "Just keep an eye on him for now."

Staring at the stranger who was holding him, the baby soon decided he wasn't too happy with the arrangement, and started to toss and whine. For a second, Miranda panicked. She could murder someone with biotic, shoot a target from across the street – hell, she could even rebuild a person from a burnt corpse. But dealing with a fussy infant?

What the bloody hell was she supposed to do?

"Hey, hey, it's okay," said Kaidan softly, stroking the chubby cheek of his boy. "This is Miranda. You've seen her before."

Yes. The pruney little newborn Miranda had met four months ago had grown into a pink, round baby with a wisp of soft black hair. His eyes, light brown in shade, were Alenko's. But that scowl? It was all Shepard's.

"I think he wants you to walk around," Kaidan told her. "Sorry, he can't sit still."

"Just like his mother," Miranda mused, smiling at that little face that was giving her a familiar pointed look as though he knew what she was saying. "Let's give you a tour of my apartment, shall we?"

As soon as Miranda took a step, her little guest stopped fussing. Big, round eyes scanned around the apartment inquisitively as his private tour began.

"That was the kitchen," said Miranda. "I've... never had a chance to used it. Cooking isn't exactly my strong suit."

Part of her felt silly talking to an infant, yet, somehow, it felt... natural. It felt right.

Miranda stepped up to the huge window in the dinning room. "We are at the Citadel." She pointed at the buildings and the people below and continued, "What you are looking at is the Presidium."

Not expecting a reply, Miranda was surprised when she heard a gurgle.

"You're not afraid of the height, are you?"

A scowl flashed across the tiny face as if he was insulted by her comment. Yes, this was definitely Shepard's kid.

Smiling, Miranda replied for him, "Of course not."

Tiny arm reached out to something nearby. It was the Christmas tree that had stolen his attention.

"This was my sister's idea," said Miranda as she approached the tree. "Oriana decorated it by herself. She did an amazing job, don't you think?"

Grabby hand reached for one of the shiny decorations – one particular silver bells among many. Miranda watched as the baby tried his might to grab what his heart desired. He was one persistent little guy, just like his mother.

"You want this?" asked Miranda, taking the bell off the tree, bringing it close to the baby's face.

Big brown eyes stared intently at the bell as though it was the only thing in the galaxy. And when she gave it a gentle shake, its clear, crisp chime brought a toothless grin from her little guest.

"You can keep it." Miranda gently pressed her lips onto the top of the tiny head. "Merry Christmas."

–

A/N: It's late, but happy new year! A giant thanks to all those who have been reading and supporting my ongoing story Chronicles of a Legend. Thank you!

Next: Uncle Garrus.

Contact info: gmail - pinoko19, tumblr - pinoko-k.


	2. Uncle Garrus

Disclaimer: All characters and settings belong to Bioware.

Silver Bells

Location: Citadel

December 24, 2188

This was a side of Shepard Garrus had never thought he would see.

The hero who had saved the galaxy had the warmest smile when she was playing with her son.

Garrus had never been around infants, much less a human one. Babies were all the same to him – lack of communication skills, constant demand of attentions, tiny and fragile.

But this one... this one was different. He wasn't just any baby, he was Shepard's.

The kid was around the size of a shotgun when Garrus last saw him. And now, he was longer than a M-8 Avenger.

"Here." Shepard shoved the baby to him.

"What?" Taken by surprise, Garrus had no choice but to hold the bundle of joy. "Wait, what are you doing?"

"I've to get him his bottle," Shepard told him, then turned to her son and said in an utmost serious tone, "Keep an eye on Uncle Garrus."

"Shepard, I can't-"

To that, the former captain of SSV Normandy gave him a long, hard look – a look that was all too familiar to those who would dare to say 'I can't' in front of her.

"He's just a baby, Vakarian. He doesn't bite. Not yet anyway. I'll be right back. Play nice, you two."

Garrus swore he saw a glimpse of a smirk on Shepard face before she left.

And so, it was just the two of them.

Garrus stared at the tiny human in his arm, who was staring straight at him with the exact same look he had seen only seconds ago from the older Shepard. For the longest moment, Garrus Vakarian was utterly lost. Just how does one carry out a conversation with an infant who doesn't even speak?

"...So ...Hi there."

The baby only blinked at him, looking mildly bored.

"Hm... Well, how are you today?"

No response, except for another blink.

 _Tough crowd._ Perhaps an introduction was needed.

Clearing his throat, Garrus started, "Garrus Vakarian here. I'm your mother's old friend. We fought together to defeat Saren and Sovereign. Then, we took down the Collectors, and blew up their base."

As if responding to his story, mini-Shepard scrunched his tiny nose.

"Yeah, it was crazy. We barely escaped," Garrus continued. "And then, we went to war with the Reapers and sent those bastards back to hell."

Wait, did he just say words he wasn't supposed to? Oh crap...

His audience didn't seem to mind. One little hand reached out as though asking for more stories.

And so, Garrus complied. "Did your mom ever tell you I was Archangel of Omega?"

The chubby hands waved, tiny feet kicked.

"That's right. I took down bad guys. Sometimes with one clean headshot, sometimes I'd come up with a more... creative way that suited their crimes. In the end, they all got what they deserved."

A gurgle noise was all the encouragement Garrus need.

"More stories, huh? You want to hear my days at the C-Sec? Let's see... One time, I was sent to investigate a drug deal. You know what drug is?"

Another babble.

"It's something you definitely shouldn't take," Garrus explained. "So, there I was, undercover at a bar, waiting for the supplier to show his face-"

A faint chuckle interrupted his story time. Standing at the doorway, Shepard looked at her twin and her baby with the most gentle smile on her face. "He likes you."

Somehow, the tiny infant's approval made Garrus feel extremely proud.

"Here." Shepard handed him a bottle. "Why don't you feed him?"

Bewildered, Garrus stared at the bottle for a second. "You sure?"

It was the baby who answered by grabbing his mandible.

"No. Don't do that." Shepard pried her son's hand off. "Come on, Garrus. Feeding a baby is easier than calibrating a giant gun." She adjusted his arms and shoved the bottle in his free hand. "Go ahead."

Tentatively, Garrus put the bottle into the waiting mouth. The impatient little human grabbed onto it and started drinking.

A smile came to Garrus' face as he watched. In his mind's eye, he could already see the kid all grown up. Piercing eyes, armor-clad, rifle-wielding. The young Alenko would go on adventure with an older and wiser Vakarian. Together, they'd right the wrong, and clean the galaxy, one bad guy at a time...

"What are you thinking?" asking Shepard, bring Garrus out of his reverie.

"I was thinking... maybe I should buy him his first gun..."

To that, Shepard gave him a pointed look. "He doesn't even know how to walk."

"What about a toy gun? Never too early to start." He ignored the arched eyebrow on his human sister, and turned to his nephew. "Next time, I'll show you my rifle collection. You're a sniper rifle kind of guy, aren't you?"

Big round eyes glanced up at him in the middle of feasting.

"Yes, I can tell," Garrus replied, grinning. "Me too."

–

A/N: Next, Mom and Dad. Thanks for reading!

Contact info: gmail – pinoko19, tumblr – pinoko-k.


	3. Joker and EDI

Disclaimer: All characters and settings belong to Bioware.

Silver Bells

Location: Citadel

December 25, 2188

"You know," said Joker to Alenko. No, not Kaidan, but his son. "I'm the reason why you exist."

Sitting next to him, currently holding the mini Alenko as carefully as if she was cradling a nuke, EDI asked, "Did you facilitate his conception, Jeff?"

Arching his eyebrow so high that it almost hit his cap, Joker could only stare at his robotic soulmate.

"That was a joke," said EDI with a smile.

 _Man, she's getting good at this. Too good..._

"Anyway." Joker adjusted his hat out of habit and continued his tale, "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be here, kiddo."

Alenko, however, wasn't at all interested in his story. Tiny mouth opened wide to let out a yawn as a fist punched up in the air. Even when stretching, the kid looked like he was beating the shit out of some invisible enemies. Yup, definitely Shepard's boy.

EDI, on the other hand, was still Joker's best audience. "Why's that?"

"You remember back then when Shepard was super pissed after she saved Alenko's sorry ass on Horizon? If it wasn't for me, who kept feeding intel to Alenko behind Shepard's back, then delivered Shepard right at his doorstep, they'd never get back together."

"I see." EDI nodded, but added after a pause, "There's still a high probability their reconciliation would eventually take place without your assistance."

"Maybe," Joker conceded with a huff, "but we'd be dealing with a piss-off Shepard for the entire mission. You didn't have this body yet, so you didn't get to see her face-to-face. But, let me tell you... That woman is scary when she's pissed."

As if he understood the topic was about his own mother, little Mister Alenko growled a wordless warning. Or so it seemed to Joker's ears.

"Hey, just telling the truth here," said Joker to the baby. Joker leaned close and stared at the kid suspiciously. "You're not gonna tell her, are you?"

Then came a sudden punch to his face. Well, more like an accidentally bump from a waving chubby fist.

"Ow!" yelled Joker with an exaggerated wince. "You hit me! That's it, Alenko! I'm taking your Normandy back."

True to his word, Joker took the toy ship he had given to the kid as Christmas present, and waved it above Alenko's tiny head.

"Can you say Normandy?"

All he got from Alenko was a gurgle. But that didn't stop Joker from trying.

"Nor-man-dee."

Seeing the Normandy flying finally brought a smile to the grumpy baby's face. His hands reached up, trying to grab the ship, but Joker wasn't about to let him have it back. Not yet.

"Evasive maneuver!" The pilot 'flew' the ship as if he was flying the real one, providing his own sound effects of the engines and the guns. "Returning fire! Pew, pew, pew! Die, Sovereign!"

The kid was enthralled, to say the least. Big brown eyes followed the ship's every movement, a toothless grin spread on his round face as the imaginary battle raged on.

"BAM!" Joker pulled the Normandy's nose up and escaped the explosion. "Boom!"

His little audience squealed, arms waving, feet kicking.

"Sovereign is dead, Commander," Joker 'reported', then raised it a bit higher to reply, "Thanks, Joker. You're the best!"

Back to his normal voice, Joker continued, "So there's your history lesson of the day. That's what happened in when we saved the Citadel a few years ago. Well, it was the SR-1 back then. Too bad she was destroyed... But, that's another story."

"Do you like children, Jeff?" asked EDI suddenly.

"Kids are the cruelest assholes in the galaxy," Joker told her from his experience. "The things they do to each other could make Cerberus look like boy scouts."

"But you seem to enjoy your time with this child."

"He's Shepard's kid. He's one of ours." Joker studied the baby with the strangest pride. "Besides, if it wasn't for me, this kid might not even exist."

As if he understood the conversation, the baby scowled. Then, moments later, he let out the loudest cry.

"What the- EDI, what happened?"

"I don't know, Jeff."

 _Shit, shit, shit!_ "Shepard's gonna kill me! Hurry, search the extranet!"

"Inquiry?"

"Uh, 'how to stop a baby from crying'!"

"Searching." Still holding the infant in her arms, EDI blinked and began an internal process. "2,984,893 relevant data found."

Nothing summons the parents faster than the cry of their own son.

Before EDI could say another word, Shepard and Kaidan rushed in.

"What's going on?" asked Kaidan.

"I- I don't know!" said Joker over the thunderous sound coming from the tiny human. "He suddenly had this look on his face and started crying..."

Strangely, Mr and Mrs Alenko only shared a glance with each other. Neither seemed too concern about their wailing baby. In fact, Joker swore he saw a hint of matching smirks on both faces.

"Come here," said Shepard calmly as she took her son back from EDI. "It's okay."

"I'll get it." Kaidan took over and draped the crying baby over his shoulder with practiced ease. When a man had a ring on the finger and a kid in his arms, something changed.

"Thanks," said Shepard, with one hand patting her son's back and another on her husband's cheek.

Joker didn't start to breath again until the dad and his son was out of sight. "Shepard, I swear I didn't do anything."

To that, Shepard looked at Joker with her head tilted, her arms crossed, and a familiar smirk plastered on her face. "I know."

For a moment, Joker swore he was back on the Normandy, sitting on the leather pilot seat with the captain standing there, talking to him.

"...So, uh, what the hell happened?" Joker asked.

The illusion of being back on their ship was immediately shattered by Shepard's response. "Dirty diaper."

* * *

A/N: Joker. His chapter in this little story wasn't planned. His scene played inside my head and I had to write it down.

Next, Mom and Dad. (For real. Unless another random inspiration strikes.)

If you are waiting for a new chapter in Chronicles of a Legend, I apologize. It's the new year, and I just want to write something light for now.

Thanks for reading! And thanks for the review. I couldn't reply back because of the system screw-up.

Contact info: gmail – pinoko19, tumble – pinoko-k.


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